10 True Crime Stories That NEED A Netflix Documentary

5. The Old Lady Killer

Juana Barraza, 48, is presented to the media next to a bust the police used to help in the search for a serial murder suspect at the Mexico City police headquarters Wednesday Jan. 25, 2006. Police say Barraza matches the profile of a believed serial murde
MARCO UGARTE/AP

Vice’s exceptional Dark Side Of The Ring series takes a detailed and considered look at some of professional wrestling’s most distressing stories, but even they’d likely find this one tough to swallow. Juana Barraza was a professional luchadore, but is now known better as the murderer of at least 11 and as many as 49 women.

La Dama del Silencio (The Lady of Silence) had an upbringing that was beyond traumatic, abandoned by an alcoholic mother and subjected to horrific sexual abuse from an early age. On her capture, she cited a lingering (and understandable) resentment towards her mother as the reason behind her targeting of elderly women.

The spree of murders took place over eight years, and the story contains many of the usual tropes from real live serial cases - inept policing, red herrings, historic tragedy. And that’s without the professional wrestling sheen to add a layer of intrigue to the whole thing.

Barazza was convicted in 2008 - she copped to just one murder but wound up with a sentence of over 700 years. She remains alive - there are plenty of living sources which would contribute to this fascinating tale.

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Contributor

Yorkshire-based writer of screenplays, essays, and fiction. Big fan of having a laugh. Read more of my stuff @ www.twotownsover.com (if you want!)